"Classical" Chinese art tackles modern issues

Yang Yongliang

Chinese artist Yang Yongliang was classically trained in the art of Chinese calligraphy and his images evoke serene, natural landscapes. Upon closer inspection though, Yang's compositions are more complex.

One picture of modern Shanghai is stacked together and made to look like a mountain. Everything from the trees to the jagged cliffs are created from images of today's China. A rocky island upon first glance, for instance, is actually skyscrapers.

To create his images, Yang layers thousands of tiny photographs to create and comment on another world.

Yang Yongliang

Yang takes pictures in cities across China. As he snaps the photos, he doesn't know how they'll come together. Ultimately, a telephone pole might wind up resembling a tree or a house can become a rock in a river.

He says he sees human beings as fragile, and through "development" they're creating their own demise.

Credit: Yang Yongliang

Yang Yongliang

Far from the Ming Dynasty paper scrolls that were his inspiration, Yang's newest work is projected. His pieces show a Chinese landscape cluttered with skyscrapers and cranes. Yang says good art shows awaken inner emotions.

"I want to make people reflect," he said. "Modern life is comfortable and convenient, but we rarely think about what we exchange for that."